Good FeelingsGood feelings for others are like ointments that heal wounds and re-establish friendships and relationships. Good feelings are generated in the mind, are transmitted through your attitude and are reflected in your eyes and smile. Smiling opens the heart and a glance can make miracles happen.

Ego

Ego is one of those vices which some would class as 'good to have'; it allows one to be 'positioned' and 'noticed', and 'respected' even.However the thing with ego, specifically subtle forms of ego, is that it sits you on a false seat. Then when the truth reveals itself, which it will, there will be realisation and pain. And also the shame of knowing that everyone but you always knew.Unlike any other vice, ego cripples the intellect's ability to discern. Ego adopts a form based on a speciality - on whatever is good within the self - and so disguises itself in that. It attracts the soul and it deludes it so that it is difficult for the self to recognise that this is ego.Like salt mixed in sugar, it is not obvious and not everyone would know. However the moment it is tasted and experienced the truth is revealed. Its character and taste cannot remain hidden and salt can never be sweet! Everyone will be able to taste it except you. For the self it is something that has to be realised.Watch out for that attractive form of ego!

Imbibing Or Absorbing Spiritual Knowledge

The first step into experience, particularly the meditation experience, is knowledge. What does it mean to 'know'? Knowing involves four steps, which ultimately give the meditator the experience of realization:

The first step of knowing is information. With information, our intellect opens to new ideas and opinions.

The second step of knowing is knowledge, when we begin to reflect and think on the ideas and views that we have listened to. At this point, we often have to select only a few of the ideas we have heard, as it is not always possible to reflect (think) on all the information that is fed to us. In order to deepen our understanding, we reflect on the information and sometimes discuss our findings and thoughts with others.

The third step of knowing is when we move from thinking to doing, that is, from knowledge to wisdom. Wisdom is gained when we commit ourselves to 'doing'. Knowledge translated into our everyday behaviour is called wisdom, which, in turn, is called quality life. A life of quality is where personal values are not only realised but also lived and experienced through our practical actions.

Doing, or practice, naturally brings us to the fourth and final step of knowing, which is called truth.

Soul Sustenance

Stepping Inside …

One aspect of meditation is that it teaches us to face life from the inside.

It takes us to that point of stillness where we find the strength to change and heal the inner self. In that silence, we are able to find perspective and insight. In a deep state of introspection, we clearly observe our thoughts, seeing our true motives and intentions behind our words and actions; when we understand that our intentions are perhaps not quite right, then we are in a position to say to ourselves, 'Hold on a minute!' When we use silence to check our thoughts at that level, then we begin to realize that many of the things we are thinking about are not really worth thinking about. At this point, we become spiritually economical, which in fact leads us to becoming very generous. A lot of precious energy is lost, both mentally and emotionally, on wasteful and negative thinking. Ninety-five percent of our time is wasted on thinking about others; we go on and on with a string of expectations from others, which becomes like a hammer of demand on other people's heads. Take a combination of expectations and demand, and what does it equal? Conflict!

When we learn to become silent and to reflect on our inner self, we start feeling satisfied with what we find inside, expectations from others gradually come down and there is a deep sense of contentment.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day The one who is a special flower keeps spreading the fragrance of virtues.

Projection: Being in situations that are not always positive it seems very difficult for us to be positive. As is our environment and the situations, we find, so are our own responses, too. That is, we find ourselves reacting negatively in a negative situation and positively in a positive situation.

Solution: We need to remind ourselves that we are a special flower with our own specialities. The more we remind ouselves of these specialities, the more we are able to spread the sweetness of this fragrance to all - whatever the situations may be.

- Nefertiti, whose name means "the beautiful one has come," was the queen of Egypt and wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten during the 14th century B.C (3400 Years ago). A bust of Nefertiti is one of the most iconic symbols of Egypt.

You can only see the light through the stained glass in the early morning. It was built to catch the morning sun, so that if you visit at noon it will be too late to catch the light. The sight of the morning sunlight shining through the colorful stained glass, then falling over the tightly woven Persion carpet, is so bewitching that it seems to be from another world.Even if you are the world’s least religious person, you might feel your hands coming together in prayer naturally when you see the brilliance of this light. Perhaps the builders of this mosque wanted to show their “faith” through the morning light shining through this stained glass.

Anand went for a walk in a magical park, known as the “witches’ park.” It was a gorgeous day in Spring time; all different kind of birds were gathered around the trees, singing melodious tunes in harmony with the bright and clear day.

During his walk, Anand saw a small bird lying in the sidewalk close to a tree. It was a hummingbird!

Anand took the small bird who was powerless but still alive. Anand didn’t know what to do with it to “help” it… Then, he recalled the information he read “randomly” the week before about feeding hummingbirds with a mix of water with sugar. What a coincidence! :-)That is the source of energy that a hummingbird uses to survive. It is the basic composition of the nectar from flowers.

Anand took the hummingbird home. In the way over, he was thinking about the “gem” of having a “live” hummingbird in his own hands. Anand was thinking about taking care of the hummingbird by making it a pet, as he was imagining how cool it could be to have a hummingbird following him around… “Some people have parrots with them, I can have a hummingbird!” He thought.

That sort of "help" was “slavery and dependency by default,” when a hummingbird is perfectly capable of taking care of itself in the wild… but Anand didn’t think about that. Anand took a small container, added water into it and some sugar. He mixed everything up and offered the mix to the hummingbird who was still in his hand.

The hummingbird used his long and tiny beak to swallow the mixture and then, magically; the hummingbird started to fly!

That moment made a change in Anand’s life, a change of consciousness. That is how life teaches us the lessons that we need to learn!

After this experience, Anand thought about his “good action” but also, Anand understood that the hummingbird gave him a moment of sheer elation and a day of magical happiness instead.

A bird flying from his own hands into freedom is an experience that changed Anand’s life forever.

“Caging” someone is not the way to love; but when you see that someone is flying high from your own hands and protection and you let that one go to accomplish his/her destiny with appreciation, knowing that you were part of that destiny at one point in time; that experience adds automatic cheerfulness, gratitude and love for life. Letting go of something, is the ingredient for another "new" thing to come in return.

Anand and that hummingbird were ONE in that moment,for the first time.They were united by the beautiful wings of freedom.